“Chase envisions a sort of cap and trade arrangement where in return for single-family housing projects, large developers are asked to use their economies of scale to bring down the costs of downtown development by making purchases of construction or hardware items in bulk,” SCL reports.

Chase sounds the same theme City Manager Bob Dies spoke about at his recent talk before Campaign for Common Ground. ” … Cities that work with developers rather than simply enforcing outdated ordinances can make a big difference. To this end, Chase is currently making the rounds with various developers to figure out how he can use his authority to circumvent the city’s cumbersome bureaucracy for the good of downtown.”

The days when city officials meekly subordinated themselves to developers on land-use policy appear to be over. The days when the city channels development for the good of all appear to be beginning. A must read here.

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Michael Fitzgerald

Mike Fitzgerald is The Record’s award-winning metro columnist. His column runs in the paper three times a week. Born in San Francisco, he was raised in Stockton. His column covers diverse beats including, sometimes, the offbeat. Read Full